Income tax officials are secretly planning a revolt against the revenue department

Indian tax officials are secretly planning a silent revolt against the department of revenue (DoR) headed by Hasmukh Adhia. Reportedly, the officials are not happy with the directives and functioning of Adhia, a Gujarat-cadre IAS officer and one of the most powerful bureaucrats in India.

It was only last week that the taxmen, including some of the senior-most officers, met in Mumbai, where they discussed DoR's alleged interference in "operational matters". They believe that this interference has "hurt the morale" of several I-T officials.

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The ‘emergency meeting’ was held to discuss DoR’s efforts to undermine the autonomy of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, two officials who attended the meeting told ET.

The meeting was called after an I-T officer was transferred after sending an advance tax notice on a large bank, and it was in this meeting that the officers decided to draw the attention of the finance ministry and Prime Minister's Office to DoR and its ways.

"The DoR," said a senior officer from the I-T department, "should work as per the Government of India's Allocation of Business Rules, 1961."

"But it is indulging in micro-management - in daily operations like tax assessment, transfers and postings. We have differences with revenue secretary Mr Adhia's views aired during the video conferences he holds on Saturdays," the officer added.

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